A Closer Look at Google’s Exciting New ‘Showcase Shopping’ Ads

According to Google, mobile travel and shopping searches are up nearly 30% this year already – and summer isn’t even over yet!

Shoppers are increasingly turning to their mobile devices to browse and buy online, and Google have just introduced a number of great new features to capitalise on the increasing popularity of mobile e-commerce. One feature we’re particularly excited about it is Showcase Shopping Ads. Never heard of it? Let’s take a closer look.

What are Showcase Shopping ads?

Google is the most popular website in the world. In fact, over 2.9 BILLION Google searches are made every day. That’s a lot of questions and queries…

A fact that’s universally acknowledged is that not everyone who uses Google to shop knows exactly what they are looking for. According to Google, 40% of shoppers will use Google to search for broad terms, like “bedroom furniture” or “yoga clothing”. Obviously, these searches don’t return the best possible results for someone who probably has a good idea of what they want, but isn’t sure which specific item or company they are looking for. Retailers struggle to respond to these broad queries with suitable suggestions too. So, what’s the solution?

Step forward Showcase Shopping Ads. The idea behind this brand new feature is to help people who carry out broad searches explore their options and discover the most appropriate items and retailers for their needs.

What are the benefits of Showcase Shopping ads?

The most obvious benefit of Showcase Shopping is that it allows retailers to answer broader search queries better and present shoppers with more useful results. The upshot of this is likely to be higher click-through rates and conversion rates. However, it’s really a win-win situation for everyone involved. Shoppers can easily explore and browse dozens of options without the need to log in to each site individually, whilst retailers can show users more of their products and increase their brand exposure.

How are products showcased?

Ads feature three product images – one large image and two smaller accompanying images. Browsers can scroll through these virtual storefronts on Google, and when they see an item or items from a particular retailer that they like, they simple have to click on the image to be taken through to a more expansive landing page which features more of that particular store’s inventory.

How useful is this new feature, really?

Time will tell how successful the new feature is at drawing in customers and boosting sales. However, there are plenty of reasons why we online retailers in particular should be rejoicing the arrival of Showcase Shopping Ads:

Improved user experience: The customer is always King and Google’s latest update lends itself to a much simpler, intuitive browsing experience. A happy, relaxed shopper is much more likely to buy than a stressed, overwhelmed shopper who has had to waste hours of their time whittling down their options online.

Curated content: Although one-to-one product query matching isn’t available, a premium version is available which will allow merchants to further curate their Showcase Shopping Ad experience.

Click charges: Advertisers will only be charged for a click to site that comes directly from the product image on the landing page that the Showcase ad takes them to. Not for clicks on the Showcase ad on Google.

Are you ready to showcase your brand with Fluid Digital?

Alongside your website and Showcase Shopping adverts, a thorough digital marketing strategy is vital. Whether you’re interested in SEO, PPC, social media or email marketing, Fluid Digital’s award-winning team can devise and implement a strategy to benefit your business. To find out more, give us a call on 0161 762 4920 or complete a contact form and we’ll be in touch soon.